Techno-News Blog

By Michael Fitzpatrick, BBC

Tokyo is probably the most ad-soaked fragment of the planet. Bombarded by visuals shilling something, to someone, somewhere, advertisers vie constantly to attract eyeballs. There are even TV commercials that dominate the front of 10-storey buildings and animated pitchmen placed above urinals. So in an effort to grab attention, Japan’s Mad Men have to work twice as hard to get their messages across. The country’s biggest advertising outfit, Dentsu, thinks it may have an edge with the latest image recognition technology that encourages smartphone owners to snap at ads, magazine covers and even the seemingly empty ether above their heads with their camera-equipped mobiles.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11982707

By Michael Blastland, BBC

Not so long ago, most people did not possess a phone. Any phone. And remember when video recorders were a must-have? At a time of year when tech takes centre stage, take a trip down memory chip lane. The season of goodwill is sandwiched, like it or not, by things: must-haves, latest crazes, always-wanteds, gadgets and treats and consumer goodies, first as gifts, then the sales. Sorry for Go Figure’s materialist turn, but it just happens that for 40 years, surveys have tracked Britain’s saturation by consumer durables. And even – maybe especially – with words like bankruptcy and debt in the air, it’s worth reminding ourselves of a few material facts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058944

By Finlo Rohrer, BBC

Perhaps one of the most celebrated pieces of futurology by a science fiction author was Arthur C Clarke’s prediction of a network of satellites in geostationary orbits [effectively remaining at the same spot in relation to a fixed point back on earth]. The idea of satellites in geostationary orbit had been floated before but Clarke was the first to see the possibilities for their use as relays for broadcasting and communications. And HG Wells was years ahead of his time, predicting nuclear weapons in 1914, and later inspiring physicist Leo Szilard. “The top method is simply to stay keenly attuned to trends in the laboratories and research centres around the world, taking note of even things that seem impractical or useless,” says Brin.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058575

by Matt Brian, the Next Web

A new patent filed by Apple suggests that the company is looking into ways it can reduce interference with its antennae in its iPhone and future products, focusing on a process that would see the antennas placed behind the logo on both phones and MacBook laptops. The filing almost certainly comes after the “Antennagate” debacle when the iPhone 4 launched; the device would lose signal if two of the antenna housings were bridged with the hand. This led to Apple handing out free iPhone 4 cases for users that requested them and looks to have inspired a change in where the wireless antennas will be housed in the future.

http://goo.gl/EVGBu

by Matt Brian, the Next Web

A secret audit report has found out that staff working at Waverley Borough Council are visiting Facebook more than their own website during the day, a report that looks to spell out just how much businesses losing through “internet misuse”. The Daily Mail has got involved, noting “the significant amount of time some members of staff spend surfing the Internet may indicate that their role does not warrant a full-time position.” In one section, it showed one worker had spent 90 hours and ten minutes online in a month with another 73 hours and 16 minutes. eBay, Yahoo and BBC News were among the other websites visited, with the Council webpage ranking second behind Facebook

http://thenextweb.com/uk/2010/12/24/uk-council-surprised-its-staff-visits-facebook-more-than-its-own-website/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheNextWeb+%28The+Next+Web+All+Stories%29

by Courtney Boyd Myers, the Next Web

According to Chris Ziegler from Engadget, Skype is finally bringing video calling to mobile. Apple’s Facetime was a hit on the iPhone 4 this year. And if Skype wants to stay in the game, or save face if you will, it makes sense that they’ll be rolling out a video on mobile feature in early 2011. Engadget reports that Skype has “been telling everyone that it’ll be making a series of video-related announcement at CES next month.” In fact they are even participating in a panel called “Video Calling Gets Ready for Primetime.”

http://thenextweb.com/apps/2010/12/24/is-skype-going-mobile-in-2011/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheNextWeb+%28The+Next+Web+All+Stories%29

By: Nathan Eddy

A new line of Apple iPad cases spark rumors of an updated version of the tablet, with a camera and larger speaker. Online retailer Alibaba.com issued silicon cases for an “iPad 2”, sporting a larger space for the device’s speaker as well as a space for a camera on the back of the tablet. The cases, which are offered in several pastel colors, prompted a blizzard of speculation on the Web as to the upcoming features of the popular gadget, a 9.7-in. wireless tablet computer that has injected new life into the struggling tablet market. Although a slew of competing products, like Samsung’s Galaxy Tab tablet, have entered the market in the past months, Apple’s iPad is likely to dominate the market for some time, various reports indicate.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Midmarket/Apple-iPad-Cases-Suggest-Camera-Larger-Speaker-191260/?kc=rss

By: Nathan Eddy, eWeek

Facing the wrath of its customer base following a massive service outage earlier this week, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider Skype said it would issue refunds to those unable to make calls during the 30-hour shut down. Skype CEO Tony Bates issued a statement on the company’s blog, apologizing for the service outage and promising compensation. Bates also issued an update on the outage, claiming the company has been able to successfully stabilize Skype due to the “dedicated supernodes deployed by Skype’s engineering team.”

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Midmarket/Skype-to-Refund-Customers-Affected-by-Service-Outage-Report-497010/?kc=rss

By: Nathan Eddy, eWeek

While the age of smoke signals as a means of rapid communication has clearly passed, a partnership between slick computer maker Apple and members of the Cherokee Indian tribe in the U.S. suggest the spoken language of the country’s native inhabitants won’t be lost to history– the tribe is currently working with the company to develop Cherokee language software for Apple’s iPhone, iPod and iPad tablet devices. “There are countries vying to get on these devices for languages, so we are pretty excited we were included,” Joseph Erb, who works in the Cherokee Nation’s language technology division, told the Associated Press.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Midmarket/Apple-Cherokee-Indians-Partner-on-iPhone-Language-Capability-724515/?kc=rss

By: Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine

Do you miss Google Wave? Google has quietly resurrected the product – sort of. Google Labs now includes a project known as Google Shared Spaces, which Google describes as a space for users to share mini-collaborative applications. “A shared space lets you share a collaborative gadget with whoever you want and chat with them at the same time,” Google said in an explanatory slide. Shared Spaces includes apps in four categories: planning; productivity; games; and polls. Most of the descriptions include mentions of “waves.” A “Yes/No/Maybe” scheduling gadget, for example, is “useful for gauging interest of anyone on a wave,” Google said. There is also a Draw Board for Google Wave app and a Wave Sudoku option.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2374545,00.asp

By Christopher Dawson, ZD Net

I would argue, in fact, that the Notebook is less a notebook or netbook, and more a Mobile Internet Device. Although MIDs, as originally envisioned by Intel, were more tablet-like in nature, the Chrome Notebook is unlike anything we’ve experienced before. Except, perhaps, mobile phones, which are similarly useless without a network connection. (I know, you can be in an utter dead zone and still play Angry Birds, but you know what I mean.) Whether through its Verizon 3G connection or WiFi, the Chrome Notebook is made to be online. There are some offline tools like Diigo’s Read Later Fast, but essentially, you’re either online and working or you’re not. This isn’t a bad thing, but it isn’t how most of us are used to working.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/google/googles-chrome-notebook-sooooo-not-a-netbook/2687

by Alya Mishra, University World News

The government has decided to procure the $35 laptops before January 2011, to be rolled out initially to university students from the second half of 2011 – possibly with the help of government subsidies – and later expanded to secondary pupils. The low-cost computer has been developed by students and scientists from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) in Kanpur, Chennai, Mumbai, Kharagpur and Jodhpur (Rajasthan), and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, in collaboration with the National Mission for Education through ICT. The 23 centimetre (nine-inch) wide touch-screen device, weighing 1.5 kilograms, is packed with open source software including internet browsers, a PDF reader, video conferencing platform, open office, media player, remote device management capability, multimedia input-output interface option, and multiple content viewer based on the open source Linus operating system. The device will also be able to run on solar power besides the usual battery-operated system.

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20101210220253700

By Marjorie Hernandez, Ventura County Star

Some school districts in Ventura County are looking at revising their technology policies to include guidelines for social networking sites used by teachers, staff members and students. For the past few weeks, a committee of technology experts from eight local school districts and the county Office of Education have worked to finish a draft policy for employees in the county office. The new policy addresses the sometimes gray area of personal and private use of websites like Facebook and MySpace. The committee is also working on a similar policy for students, which could be presented to county trustees before the end of the school year. “We want to encourage the use of technology, but we want to do it in an environment to teach students digital citizenship,” said Stephen Carr, the Office of Education’s information technology director. “The goal is to teach them the idea of using these tools in a responsible and ethical manner.”

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/dec/11/schools-discuss-social-media/

By Nicholas Kolakowski, eWeek

Apple has released a list of the top-grossing iPad apps in 2010. Unlike its similar list for iPhone and iPod apps, many of the iPad apps are productivity related, suggesting that users view the tablets as more than simple media-consumption devices. Some games also made the list, including Scrabble and the ever-popular Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies. Over the past few months, analysts have debated the iPad’s possible cannibalization of the netbook and laptop market . The general consensus seems to be that Apple’s device is indeed pressuring the market for lower-cost notebooks, although some of those analysts have wondered whether the tablet form-factor can offer the same range of productivity as a traditional screen-and-keyboard. Given the following productivity apps’ presence on the top-grossing list, though, it seems that many users using their tablets for daily workflow. In 2011, Apple could introduce a next-generation iPad with even more features-including front- and rear-facing cameras for video conferencing-that boost its office-centric capabilities.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Apple-iPads-Top-10-Grossing-Apps-of-2010-599571/

By Clint Boulton, eWeek

2010 was a banner year for Google in terms of new products and features introduced. The company, which made more than 40 acquisitions to improve products and gain traction in key markets, responded to challenges in search and cloud computing collaboration by Microsoft. Google also accelerated its Android operating system development to keep pace with Apple’s popular iPhone and iPad tablet computers. The Nexus One appeared Jan. 5 and Google never looked back. The company launched its Google Buzz social conversation service the following month as an alternative to Facebook, which this year emerged as the search engine’s greatest threat. While Buzz hasn’t exactly caught on with the majority of Google users, there are plenty of products and tools for the company to hang its hat on and be proud of this year, along with a bomb or two. Here eWEEK outlines Google’s best and worst products and features of 2010. We tried to start with what we perceived as the best, then some middle of the pack items, and finally, the bombs. You won’t all agree with us, and you’ll no doubt wonder where Caffeine and other improvements are on this list, but we tried to go with what users have told us and Google’s own reporting about products as the deciding factors for us. Enjoy, and happy New Year.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Cloud-Computing/Googles-Best-and-Worst-Products-Features-of-2010-807066/

by the BBC

Microsoft’s workaround for the IE bug will not protect all users of its web browser. Microsoft has issued a warning about a serious vulnerability in all versions of its Internet Explorer (IE) browser. If exploited by a booby-trapped webpage the bug would allow attackers to take control of an unprotected computer. Code to exploit the bug has already been published though Microsoft said it had no evidence it was currently being used by hi-tech criminals. A workaround for the bug has been produced while Microsoft works on a permanent fix.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12067295

by WTOP

Verizon’s newest wireless network may be hyper-zippy, but it’s blazing speed will also burn a hole in users’ bank accounts. The communications giant’s 4G network, launched earlier this month, provides laptop users with strong download speeds up to 10 times faster than the standard issue 3G, even when driving down the road, says USA Today technology columnist Edward C. Baig. However, when using the least-expensive, $50 plan, heavy network usage can exhaust the 5 gigabyte monthly allowance in as little as 32 minutes. From there, users are charged $10 per additional gigabyte. Using the network to watch video and download complex files — the reasons many switch to the faster, more robust networks like 4G — will use up the monthly allowance particularly quickly.

http://www.wtop.com/?sid=2194423&nid=25

by Look Local UK

Sheffield College staff who have led training that boosts mobile technology skills have clinched a double award. The Mobile Learning Network (MoLeNET) Academy has been running a professional development programme that has enabled around 400 education staff across Sheffield to get to grips with mobile technologies. College lecturers, school teachers and learning support assistants have been trained in the use of portable and compact personal computers, digital video cameras, head cameras, games consoles and mobile phones to support teaching in the classroom. The Hillsborough Barracks based academy, part of The Sheffield College, on Penistone Road is the only one of its kind in the north and one of eight in England. It was set up last year and is funded by the Learning and Skills Network (LSN) and the Skills Funding Agency.

http://www.looklocal.org.uk/detail.php?id=2218

by Kate Ackerman, iHealthBeat

On New Year’s Day, the oldest of the country’s 77 million baby boomers will turn 65. Those baby boomers will become eligible for Medicare, if they are not already, and, increasingly, they will be putting more strain on the U.S. health care system. Medical advances have led to improved survivability of many diseases and longer life spans. In 2000, the proportion of U.S. residents ages 65 and older was 12%, or 35 million. By 2020, the percentage of the U.S. population ages 65 and older is expected to increase to 17%, or 50 million Americans. This population can be an expensive group to care for, as 84% of Medicare beneficiaries have at least one chronic condition. In part because of the growing elderly population and better survival rates, U.S. health care spending — which already is the highest among industrialized countries — is estimated to reach 19.3% of the country’s gross domestic product, or $4.5 trillion, by 2019. Health care experts warn that not only is the U.S. not able to afford the additional demand on the health care system, the system itself isn’t equipped to handle it.

http://www.ihealthbeat.org/features/2010/home-health-technology-could-ease-strain-on-health-care-system.aspx

by Michael, Minuteman Press

The University of Bath is leading the way with pioneering new printing technology and the world is watching these developments excitedly. It may sound like something from a science fiction film, but we are assured that this is all fact: printers that can produce 3D objects are being rolled out across the globe. Dr Adrian Bowers from the University of Bath began developing Replicating Rapid Prototyping systems, or 3D printers, in 2005 and these are now beginning to be taken seriously by the science and engineering world. This is not seen as being a challenge to more traditional printing companies based in the Bath area because these 3D printers will largely be used to produce 3D models and prototypes of things like furniture or engine parts rather than for traditional services like business card printing. Bath residents and printers alike are excited about the scientific significance of the printing developments unfolding in the city and this is attracting attention from the science and print communities around the world.

http://www.minutemanpress.co.uk/news/bath/the-university-of-bath-pioneers-new-printing-technology-2668.html

by David Pogue, PBS News Hour

New York Times technology columnist David Pogue talks to Jeffrey Brown about this holiday season’s most sought-after gadgets and how consumers can get the most out of their purchasing power. I would say all of the action these days is app phones, which I’m calling the iPhone and Android and the other touch screen phones –not smart phones, which are just like phones with e-mail, like BlackBerry, but app phones you can install your own programs. In my column, I can’t remember the last time I wrote about a P.C. You know, like the Reagan administration.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/july-dec10/holidaygadgets_12-09.html